Vehicle Security Barrier for Outward-Swing Doors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Recreational vehicles and similar vehicles face security risks due to less secure door locks and the risk of water ingress when drilling holes for retro-fitted security measures, which can lead to theft and damage.
Innovation Solution
A security barrier system comprising a base structure mounted to the vehicle's main housing and a blocking structure that extends into the swing path of outward-swing doors, preventing them from opening, with various configurations to adapt to different door types and orientations, and using metal components to enhance security without drilling into the vehicle's frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If retro-fitted door-locks and hasps are used to improve door security, then security is improved, but holes must be drilled into the RV frame which causes water ingress risk and wood frame rot
Solution Approach 1:
The security barrier is divided into separate components: a base structure that mounts to the exterior surface without penetrating the frame, and a blocking structure that extends into the door swing path. This segmentation allows security enhancement while maintaining the integrity of the RV frame and preventing water ingress pathways.
Solution Approach 2:
The base structure acts as an intermediary element that provides mounting functionality on the exterior surface without requiring penetration into the frame. It transfers the blocking force to the door through the blocking structure while isolating the mounting system from the interior environment, thus preventing water ingress.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional locks with shallow bolt extension are used, then installation is simple, but they are easily broken and provide insufficient protection
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on deep bolt extension into the door frame (one-dimensional protection), the invention extends protection into the spatial dimension by placing a blocking structure in the door swing path. This creates a two-dimensional security zone that the door must navigate around, significantly increasing break-in difficulty while maintaining simple exterior mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The blocking structure is positioned in advance within the door swing path, creating a pre-established barrier before any forced entry attempt occurs. This preliminary placement of the blocking element prevents the door from opening fully, requiring intruders to overcome the barrier first rather than directly attacking the lock mechanism.
3Reliability
If a blocking structure extends into the swing path is used, then door opening is restricted, but the base structure must be mounted securely to prevent bypass
Solution Approach 1:
The blocking structure is designed to be extendable and retractable, allowing it to dynamically occupy the door swing path when security is needed and retract when not needed. This dynamic positioning provides effective door restriction while allowing flexible mounting configurations that can achieve sufficient strength without requiring excessive mounting complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for providing improved security to an outward-swing door of a vehicle. The outward-swing door is on a sidewall of a main housing of the vehicle and has a pivotal end and a distal end opposite to the pivotal end. The outward-swing door is outwardly pivotable about the pivotal end thereof. The apparatus comprises a connecting structure for coupling to a bottom wall of the main housing, a base structure for coupling to the connecting structure so as to locate adjacent the outward-swing door and outside a swing path of the outward-swing door, and a blocking structure demountably coupled to the base structure, at least a portion thereof extendable into the swing path of the outward-swing door for restricting the outward-swing door to open to a predefined maximum extent.